Late Breaking News on Habitat II

Last updated 6 June 1996 --

In a section of the Habitat Agenda on shelter for all, the European Union, supported by the G-77/CHINA, proposed approving a paragraph referring to sustained economic growth and sustainable development principles, but the US opposed.

Gender discrimination, economic growth, and "various forms of the family" were among issues debated as working groups of Committee I delved Wednesday into negotiation of bracketed text in the Habitat Agenda. In most cases, controversial items were either deferred or sent to informal drafting groups for consideration. Working Group I discussed parts of the preamble, the goals and principles chapter and the Global Plan of Action. Working Group II considered international cooperation and coordination, Agenda sections that address financial and implementation issues. The group debated references to trends in official development assistance (ODA) and whether text on economic globalization should describe problems with poverty, urbanization and economic stagnation in developing countries or challenges and opportunities posed by globalization. Drafting groups on the Istanbul Declaration and the "right to housing" also met for the first time Wednesday.

In the corridors, delegates and observers examined whether economic growth should take a more prominent position as a component of sustainable development. Some called the Habitat debate on this issue a run-up to the UN General Assembly's review of Agenda 21 implementation next year.

Chair Marcela Nicodemus of Brazil opened negotiations in a drafting group on the "right to housing" Wednesday, as delegates began sending difficult issues to informal negotiating groups.

Details on debate from the Conference's third day are in Thursday'sEarth Negotiations Bulletin's from Habitat II.

To catch up on the Conference to date, check out Late Breaking News from

We will continue our live coverage of Habitat II through
19 June. We have recorded RealAudio interviews and daily issues in English and French of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin. More pictures and sound coming soon. Stay tuned!!

ENB will not be covering most of the Plenary statements. These statements and press releasesare available on the Conference Secretariat's WWW site.

The Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference
on Human Settlements (Habitat II) ended in New York during February. Although
the spirit of negotiation was good, procedural bottlenecks and the volume
of work to be finished produced less than favorable results.